Stewardship of Financial Sharing

Why Give Back to God?

Our financial sharing reflects a grateful heart that wants to give back to God a portion of what He has given us; in reality, what is already His.  This is our opportunity to show God that He is first in our lives.  James 1:17 says that “all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father,” so we have an opportunity to tangibly show God He is the “owner” of our finances by giving back to Him the first of what He gives us.

Here are four reasons to give back to God

1. Giving is a Reflection of the Heart:

Matthew 6:20-21 “But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” What's the most important thing to you?  We see the way our culture encourages us to store up treasures on earth and exalts materialism to the point where debt has become acceptable.  We can probably even recognize that truth by looking at our own checkbooks. As Catholic Christians we are called to free ourselves from the bondage of debt so that our resources are available for His purposes.

2. Giving is a Reflection of Priorities:

Long before offering a tithing was a practice of the Israelite people, Cain and Abel, the 2nd generation of the human race, brought an offering to the Lord. Abel brought the “firstborn of his flock,” while Cain brought “some of the fruits of the soil.”  The Lord blessed Abel's offering, but rejected Cain's. God wants to be first in our lives. Deuteronomy 26:1-2 “When you have come into the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you as a heritage, and have occupied it and settled in it, you shall take some first fruits of the various products of the soil which you harvest from the land which the LORD, your God, gives you, and putting them in a basket, you shall go to the place which the LORD, your God, chooses for the dwelling place of his name.”

3. Giving is a Privilege:

The 1st Century church modeled for us what it means to give generously and joyfully so that more and more people could find their way back to God. 2 Corinthians 8:2-4 “for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For according to their means, I can testify, and beyond their means, spontaneously, they begged us insistently for the favor of taking part in the service to the holy ones.

4. Giving is a Blessing:

God uses the tithe as an investment where everyone involved gets a return. If we are blessed beyond our needs, it is not for the purpose of living more lavishly but to bless others. The church and the kingdom are blessed, and yet God's nature is to also bless the giver. Malachi 3:10  “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, That there may be food in my house, and try me in this, says the LORD of hosts: Shall I not open for you the floodgates of heaven, to pour down blessing upon you without measure?”

4 Easy Ways to Give

Place your donation in the weekend collection basket
Donations can be made each Saturday / Sunday by using your giving envelopes.  Just place your envelope in the offering basket during the Mass. If you are not receiving envelopes and would like a set of envelopes mailed monthly to you please contact Sheila Kudrle, Records Secretary at St. Bernard Parish at 739-0331.

Give by mail during the week
If you are not prepared to give on Sunday, you can drop a donation in the mail, or drop off at the Parish Office during the week. Please remember that even when you're not here, the work and expenses of the church continue.

Give Online
These options offer you the flexibility to make donations 24/7 from any location. The Online Giving button is located on the home page of the St. Bernard Website, on the lower left hand side. By clicking on the button, you will be moved into our online giving program called "Simply Said."  Please follow the directions on the page to sign in. From this program you can set up donations from your checking account, or credit card or both. Donations can be a recurring monthly gift, a bi-monthly gift, or a one-time gift.  Online giving gives you convenience and flexibility while benefiting the church because of your faithfulness.

Use of Stocks

Leverage the value of your stock.  An outright gift of stock could maximize the value of the asset and result in a tax savings for you. Please consult your attorney or financial planner before making this type of a donation. We would appreciate you notifying St. Bernard Parish when you make a gift of stock, because of the confidentiality laws.

What are the benefits of Online Giving or Direct Deposit?

• Prioritizing Your Budget: The Bible teaches that our giving should be a “first”, and not a last, matter in our lives.  Read Proverbs 3:9-10. It is easy to let our good intentions be compromised by expenses and billing cycles.  By setting up recurring or automated giving, you can be sure to set that portion aside before other expenses rob you of the joy of giving to God. 

• Increasing Your Faithfulness: Have you ever forgotten your envelope, left it at home or fallen behind because of travel or other schedule interruptions?  Online Giving or Direct Deposit, provides a way to strengthen your faithfulness in giving.  After setting up a recurring gift, you won’t be faced with forgetfulness.

• Give through Direct Deposit Authorization Giving
  By filling out the "Direct Deposit Authorization Form" and mailing it to the office, we can set this up for you. Click here for the form Direct Deposit Authorization PDF Form.  Currently we have over 100 parishioners already using this option. You can decide the amount and the frequency of your gift and you can change or stop your gift at any time.  If you have any questions please contact Barb Hoffman, Bookkeeper at St. Bernard Parish office at 739-0331. 
  

• Helping Your Church: Through Online Giving / or Direct Deposit you expedite your gift, simplify our accounting and strengthen the base of regular support.  Your faithful gifts help St. Bernard Parish continue to fulfill its mission: To Welcome and Inspire All to Share Christ’s Love through Faith and Service!

Financial Tools to help you on your journey

These tools can benefit you on your journey to financial faithfulness.  These tools are shared with you via Crown Financial Biblical Ministries If you have any questions about how to use these tools or would like to participate in a Crown Biblical Financial Study please contact Dr. Colleen Sargent-Day, our Minister of Administration at 739 -0331.

For Budgeting Tools / Financial Calculators
www.crown.org/Tools/Calculators

Visit Crown’s websites at www.CatholicCrown.org  or www.crown.org